Level crossing will hit railway services: Eastern Railway

This is the spot where New Alipore level crossing is supposed to be built

KOLKATA: The state government’s plan to get the level crossing between Majerhat and New Alipore ready before Mahalaya got a shot in the arm with a letter from Eastern Railway on Monday eveing, but with a rider.

Building a level crossing here is technically possible, but it will have a major repercussion on the railway traffic, the letter to the state government stated. While Circular Railway services will continue to remain suspended between New Alipore and Majerhat, a 25% reduction in suburban services between Sealdah and Budge Budge is being anticipated. “In the letter, we have made it very clear that the level crossing proposed close to the Majerhat Bridge is not technically feasible. The one between Majerhat and New Alipore is technically possible, but there will be repercussions. We will have to curtail suburban services. Otherwise, road traffic will have to be stopped for 10 hours every day. We now run 31 pairs of trains in the Sealdah-Budge Budge section. Once the level crossing is operational, we can’t run more than 20-22 pairs. Circular Railway services between New Alipore and Majerhat continue to remain suspended since the collapse. We can’t start these services due to the level crossing. We won’t be able to run more than 6-7 pairs of goods trains either. Now we run 8-10 pairs,” a senior ER official said. While the drop in suburban services may lead to passenger unrest, fewer numbers of goods trains will affect the Budge Budge power plant and operations at Kolkata Port Trust. The railways has made it clear that the state would have to take responsibility for this. “Once the state agrees, we shall wait for the Railway Board’s clearance to start work at the level crossing. The Commissioner of Railway Safety will also have to give necessary clearance,” the official added.

Meanwhile, the state is preparing to start demolishing the Majerhat Bridge from Wednesday provided the railways gives a nod. Work was to start on Monday, but could not due to Viswakarma Puja. There weren’t sufficient workers, a PWD officer said. Start of demolition and the possibility of opening of the Old Goragachha Road (along with the level crossing) within 48 hours will also need a new set of traffic diversions, the Kolkata Police said. Once demolition of the bridge starts, railway services through Majerhat will also have to be suspended. “Once work starts, we won’t allow vehicles from Burdwan Road to turn left. Instead, all of them will be directed towards Remount Road to use the Garden Reach flyover. We have also requested PWD not to begin work on the Mint side as of now as Humayun Kabir Road is critical to us to take load off Durgapur Bridge and Tollygunge Circular Road,” a senior Kolkata Police officer said.